This invention is directed to the method of aligning a card edge connector to a planar conductive panel, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), without the necessity of plated through holes or board locks, such as found with surface mounted connectors, which thereafter are subjected to soldering of terminals to conductive paths along the planar conductive panel, and to the resulting assembly thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,106 is representative of a surface mount connector, preferably to a PCB, where securing same to the PCB is effected by soldering posts or pins to the PCB. The soldering operation, as known in the art, may be accomplished by a number of techniques. By way of example, the soldering operation currently employed in the soldering of electrical connectors to PCBs may involve a vapor phase reflow soldering step, or an alternative soldering operation such as IR heating. This soldering step is used to render solder paste or other conductive medium, previously deposited on the conductive paths or pads, into a molten state so that a solder fillet can be formed with the respective solder tails. Other soldering methods, such as reflow soldering, may also be used in establishing a connection between the retention posts and pads located on the lower surface of the printed circuit boards opposite from the surface mount interconnections.
While the present invention contemplates the use of a soldering operation to effectively secure the connector to the edge of a planar conductive panel, the uniqueness hereof lies in the manner by which the connector is precisely aligned with the conductive paths or pads of a planar conductive panel, preferably a PCB, prior to soldering the terminals of the connector to the conductive panel.